Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-04-19
HAS NO JURISDICTION.
A WHOLE BATCH OF QUESTIONS EFFECT
UALLY ANSWERED
By the PsStsred Interstate Commerce Commission.
# Has No jurisdiction 10 Decide the QusS-
tons QuOtsd-A Ruling Of Very
General Interest

WASHINGTON, d. C., April lS.-The
following embodies far the most important
action yet taken by the Interstate Com
mission. The immediate matters selected
to which to append the opinions OF the
Commissioners, only affect the interests OF
limited classes, but the opinions themselves
cover in important respects interpretations
of the Interstate Commerce law, and de-
examinations respecting the extent of the
powers with which the Commission deems
itself charged, and as is proved by the i'm
mense correspondence OF the Commission,
are of interest to almost every branch OF
trade or commerce in the land. The fOi-
lowing is the
TEXT OF THE RULING.
THE INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMITS !
sion, WASHINGTON, ID. c., April 10.
In the matter of the petition of the
Order of Railroad Conductors, in the mat
ter of the petition Of the Traders and
Travellers Union, an application In writing
has been made to the Commission for its
answer to the following questions pro-
pounded on behalf OF the Order Of Rail
way Conductors.
Are the railway companies prohibit
ed from issuing free transportation to the
immediate families Of employees of their
own railways?
>. Are railway companies prohibited
from issuing free or reduced transportation
to officers of associations composed exclu-
sively of railway employees, while those
officers are temporarily out of railway ser
vice and exclusively employed by those
associations.
3. May railway companyies issue passes
to employees of other railways on applica-
tiOn eff the employe, or must such appllca-
ton come from the officer Of the company
by which he is employed.
T. May railway companies issue free or
reduced transportation to those who make
railway service their business or trade,
while temporarily out Of employment and
in search of situation.
5. May railway companies provide free
transportation for delegates to annual con-
ventiOns of an association composed eXclu-
sively of railway employees upon certificates
| from the officers of the association that
they are such representatives?
g. If free transportation may he fur
nished 10 representatives described in
question five, must all such representatives
be actually in the employ of some railroad,
or may it include those who may be tenn
pOrarily out of employment?
oil mr.
delegates described in question D, may it
| include members of the immediate families
OF delegates.
& If free transportation or reduced rates
are provided for the representatives of any
one association, must the same be extended
to all others which are composed exclusive
ly of railroad employees on application?
ANOTHER APPLICATION
has been made to the Commission on be-
half of traders union, stating the system
under which an additional allowance of
free baggage has been heretofore carried by
commercial travellers subject TO written
agreement for registry and indemnitica-
tiOn, which system the Commission is re-
quested to examine carefully land advise
us if there is any reason why railroad
company desiring to do so should not enter
into such an arrangement to grant under
stated terms an increased allowance OF
free baggage"
These two petitions presented by highly
respectable organizations, and raising ques-
tions of immediate practical Importance,
are representatives OF q large number of
similar applications which have been made
to the Commission for its construction Of
the provisions of the act to regulate COM
merce as applied TO the various points at
which those provisions touch the customs
of the past
They have been selected simply as they
indicate the general character Of all and
enable the Commission to announce GER
tain conclusions to which it has arrived
respecting its jurisdiction and its powers.
a careful reading of the "act to regulate"
under which this Commission is organ
lied, Will show to the petitioners and
Others who have made similar applications,
fbot